


We built a home together

by ScarletSorceress



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, M/M, Slice of Life, and happy, let these boys be soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-21
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-23 19:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30060102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletSorceress/pseuds/ScarletSorceress
Summary: Sometimes, Ace wondered whether all this was worth it. All the long hours, the studying, the stupid glasses that were doubling his problems instead of fixing them...But then he comes home, to his little brother playing video games and his boyfriend's smile, and he thinks;For them? It's always worth it
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace/Sabo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	We built a home together

**Author's Note:**

> So, a little while ago, the wonderful Aibhlin sent me a drawing of SaboAce curled up on a couch drinking out of mugs. And that hit me straight in the domestic feels so enjoy this little nonsense ramble because _my boys deserve to be happy!!_

"I'm home!" 

Shutting the door behind him, Ace stumbled into the apartment. Groaning, he flung his backpack somewhere to be forgotten about (at least for now) and started to kick off his boots. 

He could hear someone shifting around down the hall and the distant sound of excited yelling. Probably Luffy playing Sea of Thieves with his friends. Lord knows his little brother was obsessed with that game. 

Finally freeing his feet, Ace pulled his slippers out of the little cubby hole they kept by the door. Sighing as his feet sunk into soft warmth. Why did he ever go anywhere when he could stay inside and be cosy? 

"Welcome home." 

Looking up, he caught Sabo leaning against the wall, meeting his gaze with a gentle smile. The smile he reserved purely for their family. 

Oh well, if he had to leave, at least he had this to come back to. 

"Hey," Ace grinned softly, pushing himself up from the floor. Stumbling forward as his legs protested him being vertical again. 

"Hey," Sabo echoed, chuckling at Ace's less than graceful attempt to reach him. Slipping a hand into his, Sabo gently pulled him along, rolling his eyes as Ace leaned against him. "Go on, you dork. Go get comfy." 

Pushing Ace towards the couch, Sabo drifted towards their kitchen area, humming a song Ace thought might be a lullaby. Grateful for Sabo's direction, Ace staggard towards the couch, flopping down onto worn cushions with a pleased groan. Rubbing a hand down his face, he finally pulled off the glasses that were hurting his head. Honestly, what was the point in wearing them when they gave such a bad headache? 

Stretching out, he bent until he heard several pops of his spine realigning, the pain pulsing through him followed quickly by relief. Melting into his corner, Ace peered bleary eyes over to the kitchen, peering in through the half walls. 

Sabo caught his eye, shaking his head as he stirred two mugs. A sweet aroma steadily filled the air, and Ace couldn't help the soft smile that spread across his face. He knew Sabo could be a sap when he wanted to be. No matter how stand-off-ish the other man pretended to be. 

Picking up the two mugs, the blonde carefully made his way over, passing one to Ace as he settled down in his spot. 

"Luffy's going to be playing all evening," Sabo mumbled quietly, watching as Ace gladly took a sip of the hot chocolate. He had made it just the way he liked it too. "Apparently, Law finally agreed to try it out, so you know Luffy's going to be flying high for days." 

"How did those two even meet?" Ace groaned, rubbing his temples as he leaned back into Sabo's space. Hot chocolate in his hand, his favourite blonde by his side, Ace could finally feel his stress melting away. In the back of his mind, his two assignments nagged at him, but he could put it off for a little while longer. He wanted to relax. 

"Apparently through Instagram," Sabo shrugged, tucking his legs underneath him as he rescued Ace's glasses from being crushed. "How're the glasses treating you?" 

"They suck," Ace groused, pouting as Sabo put them gently back on his face. "They keep giving me headaches, and they dig into my skull. And, according to Thatch, I look like a nerd." 

"Maybe your prescription's wrong?" Brushing his fringe back from his face, Sabo let his hand linger, playing with inky waves as he smirked. "And Thatch can come and fight me. Maybe I _like_ you wearing them." 

"They look better on you than they do on me," Ace purred, reaching up to prove it when Sabo caught his hand. 

Grinning, Sabo placed a feather-light kiss on his fingers before letting go, turning back to his drink. 

"Most things do Ace, keep up." 

"Rude," Ace huffed, fighting back a smile as he saw that teasing glint in Sabo's eyes. Going back to his hot chocolate, he settled himself properly, wrapping himself up in Sabo's gentle presence with a sigh. 

This was home. 

Their thrown together apartment with the burnt coffee table and dishwasher that never worked, Luffy in the background whooping and laughing, and peace when wrapped around one another. Gentle laughter on stressful nights and warm cocoa to come home to. 

It took them a while, but god, is he glad he gets to have this now. 

"How's the new tablet treating you?" Ace asked quietly, smiling when Sabo's eyes lit up. They always did when he spoke about something he was passionate about; Ace may not understand the technicalities, but he could sit and watch Sabo talk all day. 

"It's amazing," Sabo grinned, bringing his mug close so he wouldn't spill with his gestures. "It's a much bigger screen, so I'm not having to squint so much to see what I'm drawing, and the pen came with about fifteen different nibs!"

"So I'm about to lose you on an art bender, is that right?" Teased Ace, his fingers automatically coming up to play with Sabo's curls. 

"I lost you to the library today," Sabo sniffed, leaning into his touch with a sigh. "Only fair I get to have this."

"I didn't _willingly_ spend that much time there!" Ace protested, swatting the back of his head. But when Sabo pouted, he went back to running his fingers through golden curls. He really was a sucker for that face. Another thing he never thought he would be like when he was younger. 

"You still spent five hours there, willing or not," Sabo pointed out, gesturing to the clock that hung crooked on their wall. Every time they tried to straighten it, it would always fall too much to one side. Till Luffy said fuck it, nothing in this house was straight anyway, so why should the clock be? 

Ace loved his little brother sometimes. 

He watched the hands tick steadily towards the nine and couldn't deny that Sabo was right. He had left just after classes had finished, holing up in a study room with Marco, Thatch and Izo. That had been a mistake; they had spent the first hour gossiping about the latest family drama and not getting any work done. 

"Maybe that's why I'm going blind," Ace muttered, head pounding as he tried to recall all the words he'd written that day. But his brain had melted as soon as Sabo had turned that smile on him, so he supposed he couldn't blame it for being unresponsive. "The universe knows you're the smart one and is punishing me for trying to keep up." 

"I'm pretty sure the universe is punishing you for doing a degree in thermo-nuclear astrophysics. Not because I actually like to read," Sabo snorted, poking Ace's forehead and laughing as he groaned. 

"Why did I let you talk me into that?" Ace complained, draining his cup and instantly craving another. God, he did not want to go and run algorithms for the fifth time today. Nope, he was physics-ed out for the weekend, thanks. 

"I tried to talk you _out_ of it," Sabo reminded him with a laugh, rolling his eyes as he stole Ace's mug. Instead of refilling it _like a nice person_ , Sabo merely placed it on the coffee table. "Science is bullshit, and I have no sympathy for you being mad enough to attempt it. Plus, you should hear yourself when you have modules in the lab; singing a very different tune then, Portgas."

"Fuck off and let me complain," Ace groaned, taking advantage of their lack of mugs to slop over into Sabo's lap. Feeling the blonde laugh beneath him, Ace hid his smile. 

"Never," Sabo promised, running his hands gently through Ace's hair. 

These were the evenings he lived for now. 

So different to when he was a kid. 

When he was younger, Ace didn't think he'd amount to anything. Like fire, he flared hot and bright, but fully expecting to be snuffed out. But then he met Sabo, a kindred soul who hid a wildness beneath the veneer of manners and charm. And then later, they met Luffy, who was so bright, nothing seemed impossible anymore. 

And so Ace started trying, for them. 

School had never been easy for him, but things began making sense with Sabo as his tutor. And then, they got to the three sciences.

And Ace had shone, brighter than he ever had before, with all the force of a _supernova_. 

He had starlight living in him, and it had made itself known. 

Now he was studying for his dream career, working for Whitebeard Corp. in his downtime as he had since he was sixteen until he had managed to buy this place. Got Sabo out of his house and away from his parents, and brought Luffy home too. They built this apartment together out of dreams and hopes and wishes for their future. 

It was their haven; with Ace's theories and textbooks strewn about the floor, Sabo's art and photography pinned up on walls, Luffy's obsession with travelling marking maps at every corner. 

It was _theirs_.

And as Sabo leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips, Ace didn't think he had ever been happier. 

This was always worth coming home to. 

Now that he knew what a _home_ was. 

**Author's Note:**

> Might make this into a little series if people want more Modern domestic AceSabo...  
> Well, let me know! Hope you enjoyed~


End file.
